Railway-train-controlling system.



J. C. MCDONALD.

RAILWAY TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 9. 1911. RENEWED JAN. 21,1915.

1,151,025. Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

" 1. c. McDONALD.

*RMLWAY TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. s. 19H. RENEWED JAN. 21.1915.

1 5 1 ,025 Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

"II I u nn II II m "u lllhlil l vi-bneoaeo: v 5 mm n-Loz JOHN C. McIDONALD, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAILWAY 'TRAIN-CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

. Application filed October 9, 1911, Serial No. 653,477. Renewed To (film/1.0m it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN C. a citizen of the United States, and a res1- dent of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Train-Controlling- Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n railway block systems and combined block and signal systems, and comprises means whereby power is cut off from a motor car or train seeking to enter a block already occupied, also electromagnetic switches of a simple type, preferably operated by track circuits, controlling the supply of current to the several block sections, also simple signal circuits whereby both danger and caution signals are provided.

The objects of my invention are to facilitate the operation of railways, to reduce the danger of collisions, to provide improved and simplified means for cutting off the power from a motor car or train seeking to enter a block already occupied, and to provide improved and simplified signal circuits.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuits and double track electric railway system embodying my invention, the direction of normal progress along such track being indi- '-ated by an arrow. Fig. 2fisa side view and Fig. 3 an end view of one of the switches employed in my system. .Figs. 1-9 inclusive are detail views of contact mechanism of such switch, Figs. 1, 5 and (3 showing the parts in their normal position and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 showing said parts in their abnormal or danger position. Figs. 5 and 8 are transverse sections of the oscillatory barrel of the switch; Figs. 4; and 7 are longitudinal sections of said barrel, looking from the right of the center; Figs. 6 and 9 are similarsections of the barrel looking from the left of the center.

According to my invention current is communicated to the motors of a car or train on the track through a sectional con- .MoDoNALn,

I ductor having as many sections as there are blocks; which conductor may conveniently be a third rail, though it'might also be a Specification of Letters Patent.

'will be explained presently.

switches of one track of a' Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

January 21, 1915. Serial N0. 3,629.

trolley wire. To each section of such conductor current is communicated froma feed wire through a suitable switch controlled by track circuits; to which end one of the track rails is divided into as many insulated sections as there are blocks, the other rail (which is a ground or return rail) not i being so divided. The switch which I prefer to employ is a mercurial switch operated by an electromagnet, each such magnet being controlled by one of the track circuits.

Referring first to Fig. 1, T represents the track rail which is not divided into block sections, and T T etc. designate block sections of the other track rail. R R etc.,

designate corresponding sections of the current supply conductor. It will be observed that the several sections of the current supply conductor are not coterminous with the corresponding sections of the track rail T T etc., but that the power rail sections R R etc., each extend a short distance into The reason for this Current is supplied to the various power rail sections, R R R, etc., through a feed conductor F, and through switches S S etc., and conductor-s17, there being one such switch for each block. \Vithout limiting myself to any particular variety of switch I will state that I prefer a mercurial contact switch of the construction illustrated in Figs. 2-9 inclusive and comprising an oscillatory barrel 1, constructed to contain mercury or other suitable fluid conductor, and pivoted on an axis 2 somewhat above the geometric center of the drum 1. The switch further comprises an arm 3 connected to such barrel 1, an electromagnet 4, an armature 5, for moving the barrel in one direction (the magnet and armature illustrated being of the solenoid and plunger type) and a retractile spring 6. The barrel 1 is customarily prothe succeeding block.

vided internally with a layer of mercury 7,

. 10, the other set beingnumbered 11 and 12.

It will be understood that the drum 1 is constructed of some non-conducting mate-' rial, so that the contact pieces 9*12 inclusive are insulated from each other except as they dip into the mercury, or that other suitable means are employed to insulate the contact pieces one from another.

contacts 9 and'lO are immersed in the'meronly when the switch barrel 1 is in its normal position; the contacts 11 and12 being then out of the mercury; and that when the switch barrel is in its abnormal position, produced by energization of. the magnet 4, contacts 11 and 12 will beimmersed in the mercury and contacts 9 and 10 will be out of the'mercuryand therefore insulated from one another.

Referring now again to Fig. 1, and considering the circuits of the system, the circuit of the switch magnet 4 of each block is controlled by the track circuit of that block and also by the contact points of a switch of onelof the blocks beyond. customarily it is considered suflicient to vmaintain a train-interval of not more than two blocks, between trains, and therefore in Fig. 1 I .have shown the circuit of each switch magnet '4 controlled by the, contact points of a switch two blocks ahead; but it will be obvious that the circuit of the switchmagnets 'ght be controlled by the contacts of switches either a less number of blocks or a greater number of blocks ahead. Considering now the switch-operating circuit of one of the blocks, block T for example, 13 designates a circuit conductor connected to rail section T and passingthrough magnet 4 of switch S and thence passing to contacts 4 10 of switch S From contact 9 of said switch, a conductor 14 passes to a common return conductor 15 and thence to one pole of a switch-operating generator 16, the other pole of which is grounded. Rail T being grounded, it will be apparent that when a car or train enters block T the Wheels of such car or train will complete the track circuit from-T to T thereby completing circuit from the grounded side of the battery 16, through rail T, the wheels and axles of the train, the rail T and magnet 4 of switch S to contact 10 of switch S If switch S is in its normal position, as it will beif block T is not occupied, this circuit will further be completed from contact point 10 through the mercury of switch S to contact 9 to conductor 14 and thencethrough conductor 15 back to battery 16. The completion of this circuit will energize magnet 4, causing said magnet to swing the switch barrel S to one side, and thereby operating certain signal other trains in rear, as will be described presently, and also connecting rail R to feed Wire F. Supposing, however, that the block 'T is occupied when a train enters block T In such case, since the track cir- 5 cuit of block T passing through magnet 4 The location '5 ofothe var1ous contact points is such that circuits as well as protecting the train from of switch S of that block, is completed through the wheels and axles of the car or. train of the block T switch S will be in its abnormal or operating position, when the second train seeks. to enter block T and therefore the barrel of switch S will be in its abnormal position, indicated in Figs. 7.

no current from power conductor section B,

and therefore'the train entering block T must come to rest shortly after entering that block, and must remain at rest until block T is no longer occupied; 'As soon as the car or train of the block T passes out of that block, the barrel of the switch S will return to normal position by gravity, and thereupon the track circuit of magnet 4 of'switch S of block T will be completed through contacts 9 and 10 of switch S and the train in block T may proceed. 'Thesections R, R*, etc, of the power rail overlap somewhat the corresponding sections T T of the sectional track rail, .in order that a train seeking to enter a block may enter that block sufliciently to complete the track circuit of that block, if the second block ahead is unoccupied, and to permit the motor-man to bring his train to rest if the signals at the;

able to bring his train to rest before passing on to the dead section of the power rail, so

that the entering train may retain power to move backward, if necessary.

lVith the sectional power conductor system above described,I preferably combine'a signal system, the circuits of which are controlled by the same switches which control the power circuits. The contacts 11 and 12 of each switch are signal-circuit contacts. Considering the signal circuits of the block T it will be seen that when contacts 11 and 12 of switch S are connected through the mercury of that switch, not only. is the power circuit complete from feed wire F to contacts 12 and 11, of switch S and wire 17 to power conductor section B, but also a signal circuit is complete from feed wire F through contacts 12 and 11, and signal wire 18 to a danger signal D of the pre ceding block and to 'a caution signal C of block T These danger and caution signals may be of any suitable construction; but I have indicated electric lamps for the purpose. As is customary in ordinary railway I. be of another color. In the drawings I have indicated the danger signal lamps by the symbo Q and the caution signal lamps by the symbol It 'will be seen therefore that when a car or train seeks to enter a blocklt forexample, when the second block .aheadfis occupied, the motorman will find the caution lamps of the block which he is seeking to enter, lighted, and will thereby be notified to bring his train to rest before entering the dead rail section R Should the train in block T leave that block by hacking into block T then as soon as such train enters block T and before it has left block-T it will actuate switch S and thereby will illuminate the danger signal lamps entirely from bloclrT to T and so has permitted operation of switch S the train seeking to enter block T will be debarred from proceeding on in that block, by the danger signal D.

What I claim is v 1. A railway train-controlling system, comprising in combination a power conductor divided into sections, means for supplying current to the several sections of said conductor, comprising an electrically-controlled switch for each 'such section, and track circuits including means for operating said switches, the track circuit for each such switch passing through a contact of a switch of a section in advance which contact is closed when said advance switch is in normal or clear position and is broken when such advance switch is in the abnormal or danger position.

2. A railway train-controlling system, comprising in combination a power conductor dividedg'into sections, means for supplying current to the several sections of such conductor, comprising an electrically- Copies of this patent may be obtained for controlled mercurial switch for each such section, and circuits, arranged to be operated by a passing car, said circuit including means for operating said switches, the circuit for operating each such switch passing through a contact of a switch of a' section in advance which contact -is' closed when said advance switch is in normal or clearvposition and is broken when such advance switch in abnormal or danger position.

A railway train-controlling system,

comprising in combination a power; con-- ductor divided into sections, means for supplying current to the several sections of said conductor, comprising an electrically-controlled switch for each such section, and track circuits including means for operating said switches comprising track rails one of which is divided into insulated block sections each corresponding generally to one of the sections of the power conductor, but not coterminous therewith; each section of the power conductor extending somewhat into the block in advance.

4:. A railway train-controlling system, comprising in combination a power conductor divided into sections, means for supplying current to the several sections of said conductor comprising an electrically controlled switch for each such section, rack circuits including means for operating said switches, the circuit for operating each uch switch passing through a contact of a section in advance, which contact is closed when such advance switch is in normal or clear position, and is broken when such advance switch is in abnormal or danger position, and a signal circuit likewise operated by such switch.-

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, JOHN C. MCDONALD. \Vitnesses PAUL H. FRANK, H. M. MARBLE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (3. 

